Tarangire is a combination of the words “tara” and “ngire”. Tara is the river that runs through the park, and ngire is the Swahili word for warthog, so the name literally means “warthog river”. You’ll almost certainly see enough of these super interesting but also super shy animals, but the park is best known for its large herds of elephants and its baobab trees, which owe a lot to its many features. While it may be little known outside of Tanzania, Tarangire is the second most visited national park in Tanzania, after the Serengeti National Park (the Ngorongoro Conservation Area attracts more visitors but is not a national park), and I’d say it’s definitely a park you shouldn’t miss out on. So how do you visit? What can you expect? How much does it cost? Where can you sleep? You’ll find the answers to all these questions and more in this practical guide to Tarangire National Park.
Tarangire National Park is located in northern Tanzania, south of Lake Manyara National Park. It covers an area of about 2,600 square kilometers and is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania. Although Tarangire is very dry for most of the year, it looks greener than the Serengeti due to the abundance of elephant grass, acacia trees and, of course, the famous baobab trees.
In addition to elephants (there are up to 300 of them here!) ), you will also find many buffalo and zebra, as well as significant numbers of giraffes, lions, cheetahs and leopards. During the dry season, small migrations take place, during which about 250.000 animals move around in search of water.
The best time to see wildlife is during the dry season, from June to November, at least if you expect to see large animals. During this time, animals congregate near the only water source, the river, and are therefore easy to spot.
Check out my post on the best time to visit Tanzania for general information on weather, high and low seasons, and a monthly overview of Tanzania.
Tarangire is a bit different because many animals leave the park between December and May. Therefore, not only is the heavy rainy season (March to May) not a good time to visit the park, but December to February are not the best months either.
However, during the off-season months, birds are plentiful, accommodation prices are usually lower and it is certainly calmer, so if that is what you are looking for, then these months could be ideal for you.
Tarangire National Park is only 2 hours from Arusha and 4 hours from Moshi, so you can easily drive there in the morning and have plenty of time for a safari. From Arusha, you can do it as a day trip, but from Moshi, I wouldn’t recommend it.
If you are doing a couple of days safari, you will probably not sleep in the national park, but in Mto wa Mbu or Karatu, from the park to the entrance of Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti.
From Arusha, Moshi, Karatu/Mto wa Mbu or for example. If you book your safari through a travel agent, Kilimanjaro or Arusha Airport is included in the rate so you do not have to make your own arrangements.
Going by plane
You can also use one of the airstrips to fly to Tarangire National Park. The most commonly used is Tarangire Airport, but there are other airports. It is best to consult your travel agent to choose the best option. Planes fly from various starting points such as Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Ruaha and Zanzibar.
Tarangire can be part of both long and short trips as it is not far from Arusha/Moshi. Most people only spend one day in Tarangire, so if you are just going there for a game, I would say that is enough. But there are other options, which I will detail below.
These are some popular combinations.
A 2-day safari that combines Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. You may stay overnight at Mto wa Mbu or Karatu, located near the entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
A 3-day safari to Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. You may also sleep 2 nights at Mto wa Mbu or Karatu during this trip.
Any 4 to 6 day safari that combines Tarangire with the Serengeti and Ngorongoro and possibly other parks such as Lake Manyara. On such a safari, you will spend part of your nights in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro and another part in Mto wa Mbu or Karatu.
Of course there are many other packages, but these are definitely the ones people choose most often. If you have the time, I always recommend spending at least 4 or 5 days on a safari in northern Tanzania as there is enough to see to fill that time.
How much does it cost?
Entrance fee
Tarangire National Park is not one of the most expensive parks in Northern Tanzania, but it still costs $59 per 24 hour visit to it. This is the price for adult non-residents and includes. Taxes (you will find all park fees valid from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 here . Note that you will need to add 18% VAT as explained on page 10). After paying this amount, you will only be able to use the park for 24 hours and your exact entry and exit times will be checked at the park entrance.
Transportation
Count on about $250-300 per day for a safari jeep, including gas, guide’s salary, entrance fees for the car and guides, and sleeping and eating expenses for the guides. This is if you rent a car for a few days, renting for just one day is usually (a lot) more expensive. Whether you rent your own car (more on this below) or use a tour company, you may want to consider this amount, as car renters always ask for more money when renting from independent travelers.
